Thanks for the detail on Gaelic speakers in Scotland, Allan. I was aware that the 90,000 figure I quoted was 20 years out-of-date, but had assumed, probably wrongly, that the steady rise from 1980 would continue. Obviously not.

The point remains the same, of course - that media showcasing of a language, music, etc., doesn't necessarily mean that the language, the music or the etc. represents a major part of a nation's cultural style. Still, full marks to Alba for making the music available to a wider audience.